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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27361693">And All Was Right With The World</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostintheverse/pseuds/lostintheverse'>lostintheverse</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Sáenz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Ending, Boys In Love, But only if you choose that adventure, Choose Your Own Adventure, Ficlet, Fluff, M/M, Mild Smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 03:12:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,766</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27361693</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostintheverse/pseuds/lostintheverse</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Pretend that Ari's Big Talk with his parents didn't happen when it did, but two weeks later - after Dante had told him they couldn't be friends anymore, and they had spent two weeks trying to get used to not talking.</p><p>And then Ari says fuck it and shows up unannounced at Dante's house. </p><p>Nothing but happy endings, no matter what you choose (it's a choose-your-own-adventure ficlet).</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aristotle Mendoza/Dante Quintana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>58</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So I haven't written in quite some time, but I needed to. Mostly to get my mind off tomorrow (election day).<br/>This started out as a little something to add to <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/20476370/chapters/48586973">Rain: A collection</a> but it turned into a choose-your-own-adventure, which I've long wanted to write but never have. It's definitely not my best work: unbetaed, written in a single evening when I'm emotionally compromised and feel short on time because I need to get to bed for work tomorrow. But what the hell. It's my little gift of positivity into the world right now.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What are you doing here?” </p><p>Ari cringed at the flatness of Dante’s voice. He had been hoping, and half-expecting, that Dante would be excited to see him. But apparently when Dante had said, “I can’t do this anymore...the whole friend thing. I can’t do it,” he’d meant it. </p><p>Ari swallowed and tried to catch his breath. Two weeks had somehow made him forget exactly how beautiful Dante was. Not that he had forgotten at all; he had been compelled by a force stronger than his own fearful logic to show up at Dante’s house after two weeks of not speaking, after all. <em> Something </em> had driven him to it, and Dante’s beauty was as good an excuse as any.</p><p>Maybe better than the hardest truth, which Ari was still coming to grips with. </p><p>“I have something I need to say to you.” Ari’s voice was hoarse and he was reminded of the day they’d met. How Dante’s voice had squeaked, like he had a cold. </p><p>The memory was glorious, one of Ari’s favorites, but crushing all the same. Every memory of Dante had been crushing lately. Every laugh shared, every side-eye met with a smirk, every unnecessarily deep discussion of literature, every moment darting through traffic on their skateboards. Lovely, and warm, and crushing. He missed him so much. </p><p>It was too much to lose.</p><p>That was the great irony, he’d realized. He’d been so afraid of losing...something...something he couldn’t even put his finger on, something he didn’t even <em> care </em> about, that he’d managed to lose the one thing he did care about. </p><p>He’d come here to see if, perhaps, he hadn’t fully lost it, but Dante was crushing him now, too. Staring at him with those huge, dark eyes that used to be filled with so much warmth. Now flat and empty. Guarded. </p><p>He’s built a wall, Ari suddenly realized. The most open guy in the world, and he’s built a wall, just like me.</p><p>Because of me.</p><p>I’m infectious. Contagious. I’ve spoiled the most beautiful thing in the universe.</p><p>The weight inside his chest felt like a black hole. </p><p>He realized Dante was waiting for him to go on. The most talkative guy in the world didn’t have a thing to say. He wasn’t even going to ask for elaboration. He was just going to stare silently until Ari either explained himself or withered into nothingness right there in the doorway to his bedroom. </p><p>“I didn’t want to say it on the phone.” Ari nearly cringed at his obvious attempt to delay. This was much scarier than he’d thought it would be, and he’d imagined it would be pretty damn terrifying. Dante sighed.</p><p>“Well, I’m meeting Daniel in half an hour. We have a date. So you should probably go ahead and say what you need to say.” </p><p>Ari did cringe, then. He couldn’t help himself. When his eyes met Dante’s again, Dante seemed a little kinder. More like himself. </p><p>“Ari. I told you. I can’t do it. I can’t be friends.” He started to go on, then stopped. After an eternity of holding eye contact, he sighed, and looked away, and murmured, “It hurts too much.”</p><p>“I don’t want to be friends,” Ari replied, and he couldn’t stop the flutter of hope in his heart when he saw Dante’s expression darken. Just a little. </p><p>It was enough. Enough to make him take two steps forward, out of Dante’s doorway and into his room, where the boy he’d been missing so desperately was looking like a waif in his too-big t-shirt (one of Ari’s t-shirts; Ari wondered if Dante was aware of it), and his ratty jeans and his slightly dirty bare feet. He was on his bed, leaned back against his pillows, the book he’d been reading still open in his lap. Ari’s hand extended for only a second before he caught himself and dropped it back to his side. </p><p>They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, a storm of quiet emotion filling the space between them. Ari was finding it difficult to take a deep breath...or maybe his breaths were <em> too </em> deep, maybe it was an overflow of oxygen to the brain, maybe that was it. </p><p>But that wasn’t it, and he knew it. It’s why he was here. </p><p>“I don’t--I don’t mean to bother you. Especially if you need to get ready for…” Ari forcefully swallowed bile. “A <em> date.” </em>Dante winced a little, as though Ari had swung at him with the word. </p><p> “Then why are you here?” Dante asked, and Ari felt his heart skip a beat when he saw Dante blink fast, like he was stopping off tears. </p><p>Ari took a deep breath. He squared his shoulders. <em> This is what you came to do, Mendoza, </em> he said in his head. <em> Fucking do it. </em> </p><p>“When you kissed me, and I said it didn’t work for me, I lied.” He kept his back straight and his eyes held Dante’s, but he wouldn’t let himself register what was on Dante’s face. He wouldn’t dare let himself feel anything. Not right then. Not when he was so vulnerable. </p><p>He took another deep breath. “I’ve been in love with you since the day we met. I think I’ll always be in love with you.” Against his will, his voice got husky, but he pushed forward. “I don’t think I can love anyone the way I love you.” He took yet another deep breath and this time it shuddered going in. “And I’m sorry that I was...I was too much of a coward to admit it when it could have meant something. I don’t think I’ll ever regret anything more.” </p><p>Dante stared at him. He stared back. He was going to cry, and he couldn’t let that happen. Not until he was alone. </p><p>“That’s all I came to say.” His voice was no more than a whisper. “Have a...nice...date.” And he turned away.</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>If you want to see Dante go after Ari, choose Chapter Two (Option One).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If you want to see Ari go after Dante, choose Chapter Three (Option Two).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If you want this to get smutty real quick, choose Chapter Four (Option Three).</span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Option One: Dante Goes After Ari</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Option One, in which Dante isn't about to let Ari walk out that door.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Wait,” Dante’s voice was stronger and louder than it had ever been. It even surprised him, and he wasn’t sure if it was confidence or desperation that rang in it. He watched Ari stop, his back still turned, and stand there, doing as he had been told. Waiting. He didn’t turn back around--not yet--and Dante was grateful. He needed a minute to catch his breath, to get his heart under control. To process what he’d just heard Ari say. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I should go,” Ari murmured, still not turning around. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare,” Dante heard himself hiss, and then he was on his feet. He was across the room. He was snatching at Ari’s hand, yanking him around to meet his eyes. His heart was pounding out of his chest. “Do you mean it?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But before the words were out, he knew the truth. He could see it in Ari’s eyes, which were swimming with tears. Ari’s fingers twined through his, seemingly without thought. Ari took another deep breath and nodded. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve never meant anything more,” was all he said. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dante squeezed his hand, and Ari looked down. He seemed surprised to see that they were holding hands at all. Then the tiniest glimmer of a smile peeked through his anguished expression. His eyes lifted, tentatively, to meet Dante’s. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you saying you want to be together?” Dante asked frankly. He’d never seen the point in games.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about Daniel?” Ari asked, and Dante did a sort of mental double-take as he dredged Daniel’s memory up in his mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What about…” He exhaled a short laugh. “He probably hasn’t left yet. I can catch him if I call him now.” Dante shrugged one shoulder, refusing to let go of Ari’s hand. Unable not to smile from ear to ear. “Tell him not to bother.” Dante laughed again, a little more freely. “He might be pissed, but he won’t be shocked. He knows I’m in love with you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ari took a seemingly involuntary step towards Dante, reaching for his other hand. Twining fingers again. Relief all over him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You still want me, then? I’m not too late?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dante chuckled. “Hmmm...I guess I </span>
  <em>
    <span>might</span>
  </em>
  <span> still want you. But only so much it makes my bones ache,”  he teased, the slight crack in his voice giving away how raw he felt. Ari smirked, and then laughed, and they were back. Like nothing had happened. Or maybe like everything had happened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dante leaned his face into Ari’s until their foreheads were pressed together. “It’s not something that’s gonna go away, Ari. Ever,” he murmured, no trace of humor left. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then he waited, because it was Ari’s move. He waited, because he knew what was coming. He waited, like he had for so long, and this time the wait was rewarded with the sweetest, softest brush of Ari’s lips against his own. And just like the first time they’d kissed, he felt his whole world exploding. Fireworks and butterflies and tidal waves and supernovas. A million cliches in a single point of contact, a shared breath, a promise. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Call him, then,” Ari whispered against his lips, and Dante nearly collapsed from the sheer sexiness of it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bossy,” he murmured, grinning widely, and he was thrilled that Ari didn’t let go of his hand the entire time he was dialing (he had to lay the receiver down on his desk to dial one-handed), the whole time he was speaking, the whole time Daniel was yelling in his ear. Ari held his hand and held his gaze and finally, finally, all was right in the world. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Option Two: Ari Goes After Dante</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Option Two: Ari isn't giving up (and neither is Dante)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ari let himself out. The Quintanas had been on their way out themselves when he had arrived, so at least he didn’t have to face them again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even though some part of him wanted to run into them. He wondered when he would see them again. Maybe never. They were still friends with his parents, but would that last if he and Dante weren’t speaking? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He knew it was wrong of him, but he hoped not. He didn’t think he could handle them coming around, asking him how it was going, everyone smiling big phony smiles and knowing that Dante was off with Daniel while Ari was doing the only thing he was good at. Moping. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He wasn’t going to mope anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was not how this was going to be left. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took the keys out of the ignition, which he hadn’t yet cranked, and opened the door to the truck. Slid back out. Felt the earth beneath his feet, and took a breath, and headed back up to the porch he knew so well. To the front door that had become almost as familiar as his own. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just as he was reaching for the handle, it was flung open. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stared at each other, he and Dante. They stared and they breathed and they didn’t know what to say. There was too much to say. There would never be enough words. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t want you to go--” Dante began, just as Ari was saying, “I’m not leaving until--” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Then they stared at each other again, this time with smiles blooming. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Until what, Ari?” Dante asked, and he bit his lip in such a way that Ari’s stomach dropped to the floor. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ari had thought out everything he had said in Dante’s bedroom. He had rehearsed it in his head. But he hadn’t imagined this scenario, and so he wasn’t prepared with an answer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Dante was waiting for an answer. And Ari wasn’t going to let him down. Not anymore. So he just...answered. Purely. Honestly. Without planning. Without rehearsal.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Until ever.” He chuckled. “Until death do us part.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dante looked like he was going to melt into the floor, so Ari reached out and put his arms around him. Held him up. Held him close. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And all was right with the world. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Option Three: They just say fuck it and get into bed together</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Option Three: The title says it all (Very Mild Smut, nothing explicit)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Ari started to walk out of the room and found that he couldn’t. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t run anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ari, it’s time you stopped running,” his dad had said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“From what?” he had asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you keep running, it will kill you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What, Dad?” he had asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You and Dante.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If only his dad had said these words a couple of weeks earlier. Before they went bowling and seemed to make up, only to have Dante drop the bomb that he couldn’t stand to be Ari’s friend anymore. Before Ari had, at Dante’s insistence, driven him home and dropped him off and tried to stop thinking about him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ari took a deep breath. He hesitated only a moment, touching the doorframe. Then he turned around. Dante had been lounging against his pillows, but now he was sitting bolt upright, apparently speechless. Perfect mouth hanging open, just a little. Just enough to make Ari’s stomach drop and to cement the need he’d still been trying to fight into every fiber of his being. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He didn’t even mean to charge across the room. He didn’t realize he was going to climb into Dante’s bed and onto his lap, straddling him. He never once consciously planned to push Dante back against his pillows and cover that perfect mouth with his own, letting what felt like a lifetime worth of longing take what it needed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he did. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Dante kissed him back. Dante grabbed at him, like he couldn’t decide where to put his hands, and Ari groaned into his mouth and couldn’t figure out why they hadn’t been doing this all along. He felt Dante’s hands under his t-shirt and, still barely conscious of his actions, paused in his kisses to pull it over his head so Dante could have full access to his body, which Dante immediately took advantage of. Dante’s hands seemed to be everywhere at once, and Ari was melting into him, unsure how the hell he had ever denied this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pulled at Dante’s t-shirt too, but this time neither seemed willing to break the kiss, and it was a little awkward and messy and ridiculous for a minute, which only resulted in them both shirtless and laughing breathlessly and then kissing even more deeply than before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He felt Dante’s hands on his fly and thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>thank God the Quintanas were on their way out for the evening when I got here.</span>
  </em>
  <span> But then he remembered that other...complication.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t you have a date?” he breathed, even as he lifted his hips enough to let Dante slip his shorts off his hips. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was Dante’s turn to groan, this time in frustration. “I don’t care,” he murmured against Ari’s neck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s not like you,” Ari countered, tilting his head a little more to the side so that Dante could have more access to his throat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dante groaned again. “I know. It’s terrible, and I’ll apologize to him later,” Dante murmured, nipping at Ari’s shoulder. “But God, Ari. Don’t stop.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you sure we’re not moving too…” Ari’s question was cut off by his own gasp as Dante’s had found its way into his boxers. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing about any of this has been too fast for me,” Dante responded, and Ari dropped his forehead onto Dante’s shoulder and held himself up enough for Dante to keep doing what he was doing. What Ari himself had yet to have the courage to do, because he knew he’d think of Dante when he did it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His breathing was ragged. He was a mess. He could barely speak, but he managed to groan, “Stop. Stop.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dante’s hand immediately stilled. Ari lifted his head enough to look into those huge, brown eyes, so filled with the warmth he longed for. And also with a question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, I mean...don’t stop. Just.” He tried to catch his breath, to slow his heart. “We still have too many clothes on.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A wicked grin spread across Dante’s perfect face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And so they slowed down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They took their time. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They dropped little kisses where they’d never dared touch before. They murmured things against each other’s skin and felt the other shudder. They kissed slowly, deeply, with all the longing of too much time. They explored each other carefully, meticulously. Passionately. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And in the end, they held each other, sticky and sweaty and giddy with the promise of tomorrow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And all was right with the world. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
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